Interior components of motor vehicles

Abstract

An interior component for a motor vehicle is fixed to the vehicle by way of protrusions to reduce movement in a plane and by way of a tool-free fastener to reduce movement in a direction perpendicular to the plane. The tool-free fastener may Velcro(R) fastener. The tool-free fastener may allow slight movement along the plane during assembly and may prevent such movement by pressing the two complementary portions of the tool-free fastener toward each other. Employing such a tool-free fastener reduces assembly time. Because the tool-free fastener need not be accessible to tools, the fixation point may be placed at a location ideally suited for load-bearing.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A motor vehicle comprising:
 a vehicle body having a protrusion formed thereon; and 
 an interior component mountable to the vehicle body, the interior component comprising:
 a component body having a mounting locator, the component body positionable in a plane relative to the vehicle body, the component body having an opening constructed and arranged to mate with the protrusion formed on the vehicle body; and
 a tool-free fastener cooperating with the component body and the vehicle body and located at the mounting location, the tool-free fastener adapted to mount the body to the vehicle to secure the body in a direction that is generally perpendicular to the plane. 
 
 
 
     
     
       2. The motor vehicle according to  claim 1 , wherein the tool-free fastener comprises a first portion glued to the body. 
     
     
       3. The motor vehicle according to  claim 2 , wherein the tool-free fastener comprises a second portion glued to the vehicle. 
     
     
       4. The motor vehicle according to  claim 1 , wherein the tool-free fastener comprises a round-headed structure. 
     
     
       5. The motor vehicle according to  claim 1 , wherein the tool-free fastener comprises a mushroom-headed structure. 
     
     
       6. The motor vehicle according to  claim 1 , wherein the interior component is a center console. 
     
     
       7. The motor vehicle according to  claim 1 , wherein the tool-free fastener comprises a first portion, with the first portion comprising a plurality of substantially equal-length and substantially equidistant stems extending substantially perpendicularly from a base surface, a free-end of each stem having a generally spherical form. 
     
     
       8. The motor vehicle according to  claim 1 , wherein the tool-free fastener comprises a second portion adapted to mate with the first portion, wherein the second portion comprising a plurality of substantially equal-length and substantially equidistant second stems extending substantially perpendicularly from a second base surface, each second stem having a stem diameter, a free-end of each second stem having a generally spherical form, wherein a diameter of the generally spherical free-end of each first stem is larger than the diameter of each second stem and larger than the smallest distance between neighboring free-ends of each second stem.